Hood
by Hoodfag
Summary: During a long-deserved vacation Burrow town, Officer Judy Hopps and her partner, Junior Officer Nick Wilde, are suddenly tasked with a case about a rather strange thief who broke out of jail a few days prior. His name: Robin "Hood" Wilde.
1. Chapter 1

They stood before the door of Judy's parents' home. Quite unlike his usual self, Nick was fidgety and jumpy, constantly adjusting his collar and making short quips about the rising temperature.

"This isn't like you, Nick. What's the matter, scared of a few bunnies?" Judy teased, tugging at his tie to get it into a more presentable position.

Nick frowned and wanted to snap back with a biting retort, but just as he opened his mouth, the door swung open and there stood Judy's parents. As would be expected, Judy rushed forth and embraced them tightly.

It was a touching sight made slightly awkward with Nick standing at the doorway, glancing about furtively.

After the customary greetings were made and the dinner plated and served, the Hopps finally turned their attention to Nick.

"Well, don't just stand there, Nick, come one in! Dinner's ready!" Bonnie smiled as she brought out a tub of carrot casserole. Nick gulped and smiled as he ducked a little to clear the low doorway. Sitting on the slightly-too-small chair, he managed to crack a smile.

"Don't mess this up Nick." He muttered to himself under his breath. Was it hot in here or what?

"Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Hopps! I'm Nick, your daughter's new boyfr-"

He caught himself just as the word rolled off his tongue.

"I-I mean, your daughter's new partner. Yeah, partner." He shot a sidelong glance at Judy who gave him a reassuring nod.

"Oh, don't worry, we know. Top of the class, huh? Well, our little Judes sure picked a great partner!" Stu beamed at her daughter who smiled back as she picked up a steaming carrot from the plate, placing it daintily in her mouth.

"Oh, for sure!" Bonnie responded as she stepped out with the last dish; an after-dinner snack of chilled fruits and vegetables drizzled with syrup, "You know, our little girl really opened up our eyes to predators such as yourself. We used to think you were monsters and all, but really you're just like us!"

Nick flinched a little at the term, but he regained his composure and smiled, thanking them for the compliment. Judy noticed his little twitch and smiled worriedly at her parents, then at Nick. They seemed oblivious to her gesture and chuckled.

"Yeah, we used to be absolutely terrified of your kind," Nick flinched again, his ears drooping down ever so slightly, "But when we saw how Gideon changed, well, we had a change of heart."

Bonnie reached out and held Nick's paw, startling him a bit.

"Nick, take care of our little Judy, okay? Zootopia's still a dangerous place for bunnies like her!"

Relieved, Nick smiled.

"Don't worry, ma'am, I'm sure Carrots over there can handle herself just fine..." He smirked at Judy who looked a little concerned. Nick turned to look at her parents who seemed a little taken aback by his term of endearment.

"Well, you blew it. Great job, Nick, just great." He reprimanded himself internally and stammered an apology.

The rest of the meal was finished in relative silence, with the occasional questions about Nick's family and life before he met Judy, most of which were met with deflections and new questions from Nick. As Judy and Nick left, they heard her parents whispering.

Back in the car, Nick was slumped over in the passenger seat, looking utterly dejected.

"What's the matter, Nick?" Judy asked as she started the squad car. Its engine roared to life, but Nick didn't react in the slightest.

"I blew it, didn't I?" He whispered, curling up in the back on the seat, "You saw how they looked at me."

He chuckled sadly as he rolled over to face the backrest.

"The one time I slip up, and its in front of your parents. Heh, guess I'm not all that I say I am, huh? I'm such a dumb fox..."

Judy sat for a moment before unbuckling her seatbelt and climbing to the back through the window in the partition, sitting next to him. She gave Nick a few reassuring pats on the shoulder.

"Oh, you're thinking too much. My parents're nice people; a little protective," She glanced at the homemade pepper spray on the dashboard, a gift from her father, "But I'm sure they loved you."

Nick didn't respond, instead choosing to plug in his earbuds and listen to some sad music.

Judy sighed as she clambered back to the driver's seat. The wheels kicked up a cloud of dust as it sped off to their lodgings for the week. It was a nice little home, rustic yet well-furnished, lent to them courtesy of one of Judy's brothers. It sat on the outskirts of Burrowtown; close enough to see the numerous burrows, but far enough away that the stars lit up above them. A dirt road led to the doorstep with various tall crops growing as far as the eyes could see.

It took Nick a while to come into the house after Judy. She wanted to ask him why, but she felt it'd be better to let it go for now.

That night, Nick was particularly distant, turning away from her under the covers.

"Oh, Nick..." She whispered to herself, looking over at his back before turning to face the window. The stars were particularly splendid tonight and the burrows in the distance gave her a sense of comfort.

She was just about to fall asleep when her phone rang.


	2. Chapter 2

"Oh! Chief Bogo! Pardon my words, sir, but its..." She glanced at the carrot-themed cuckoo clock hanging from the wall, "Just about 11."

"We have an urgent case going on in Burrowtown right this moment, Hopps! But if its too late for you, I could jut-"

"Oh, no sir! It's alright! What's the problem?"

"Well... Is Wilde there with you?"

She glanced at Nick who seemed fast asleep.

"Yes sir, but he's sleeping."

"Well, he's your partner isn't he?"

Judy tapped Nick's shoulder and he sprang awake. Judy lowered her eyelids. Nick smirked smugly, mouthing "What?".

She set her phone to speaker mode and placed it on the bed.

"Wilde. Hopps. I understand its late-"

"Well, thanks for reminding us, sir. Wouldn't have known it without you!"

"Shut your trap, Wilde."

Judy couldn't help but snicker at his comment, mostly because she was relieved that he seemed back to normal.

Chief Bogo went on to explain the details of the string of robberies plaguing Burrowtown. Numerous small-time farmers had been reporting that their coffers had been robbed clean. Nobody knew what was going on; the thief left absolutely no trace of ever entering or leaving the affected homes. The closest evidence they had of the thief was a fleeting silhouette caught by one of the security cameras at a store.

"Well, no disrespect sir, but couldn't you have waited till tomorrow to tell us about this?"

"Normally, yes, I'd wait till you came back from vacation, but this thief is an escaped convict. Just broke out of jail a few days ago, took us a whole day to find out how he escaped. Turns out, he got out through the toilet. Anyway, he's priority number one right now and we have teams on the lookout in Zootopia. However, you're the only ones out in Burrowtown and we don't have any more men. I'll have to cut your vacation short, Hopps."

Judy didn't mind, but Nick looked absolutely devastated. He wanted to protest, but Judy shushed him. there was a fierce determination in her eyes, the same one he always saw whenever they got a case. He knew he;d never talk her out of accepting the case, so he just threw his paws into the air and crossed them, glowering and muttering under his breath.

"We'll take the case, sir!"

"Excellent. I'll send over the videos now to your laptop. Good luck, officer Hopps." Then, almost as an afterthought, "And officer Wilde."

Her laptop made a little beeping noise as she scrambled over. Nick didn't appreciate the enthusiasm.

"Wasn't this supposed to be a vacation?" Nick yawned, grumpy once again.

"A cop's duty is never over, Nick! Now get over here and help me!" She flipped open her laptop and entered several layers of passwords to get to the encrypted file.

The footage was grainy and in back-and-white. but there was a very distinct shadow scurrying off into the distance before the footage cut out.

As much as Nick wasn't pleased with the whole situation, he was studying the video intently. It took a while, but his eyes eventually widened and he paused the video just as the suspect rounded the corner.

"Hey Carrots, can you see what's on his tail?"

Judy squinted and barely made out the shape of a ring fastened around the tail, causing it to have a little dip in the fluff.

"It's a ring..." She looked at Nick, who seemed rather concerned.

"Nick, do you know this guy?"

"... I know everyone in Zootopia, Carrots. We've established that." He couldn't help but smirk, but there was no snark in the smile. Instead, it was a quietly angry, pursed smile.

"Everyone... Except him." He jabbed the monitor, causing it to rock a little. There was clear anger in his voice, though it remained level and calm.

"My dad, Robin Wilde. I'd never forget that ring on his tail. Never."

Judy was a little frightened of Nick's seething rage. He kept it well hidden, but she could hear his heart thumping away.

"Nick, calm down. Tell me everything you know about him."

Nick glared at the screen for a few moments more before flopping onto the bed with a loud sigh, crossing his arms and hugging the comfy pillow.

"My dad... Boy, was he a character." Nick was staring at nothing in the ceiling, seemingly lost in his own world as he recounted his tale to Judy.


	3. Chapter 3

"Nick! Get down from there!"

Robin's eyes widened in horror when he saw his son clinging to a branch dangerously atop a tree. The rambunctious 6-year old was a real handful for him and Mary, especially when he was this hopped up on sugar from the ice cream they had for lunch.

In a few quick hops, Robin made his way up the tree next to his son, plucking him off the branch and hopping off, landing smoothly onto the grass next to Mary who gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

"Gah, can we just stop giving him sugar, honey?" Robin asked with a resigned sigh as he struggled to keep Nick in his arms.

"Well, you wanted ice cream." She replied with a smirk as she shifted herself a little on the bench, getting comfortable.

"CanIhavesomemoreicecreampleasepleasepleasepleaseplease-"

The happy couple chuckled and shared a little nuzzle as Robin physically held Nick's mouth shut gently. The boy shook his head, trying to get his father's fingers off, giggling.

"Maybe some other day kiddo."

Robin handed Nick over to Mary and stretched. He picked up a pebble from the ground and felt its weight in his hands.

"Hey, Nick, wanna watch dad knock that bottle off the window?" He pointed to the minute bottle atop a 4-storey building. It took Nick a moment on account of the sugar, but he did eventually see it and nod enthusiastically.

Robin wound up and took aim before letting the pebble fly. A second later, the bottle shattered and an angry wildebeest slammed the window open. He looked around to see who shattered his bottle of Savannah beer, but the family was already long gone.

"That wasn't very nice, dad..." Nick pouted as he held his father's hand. Their part of Zootopia was, admittedly, on the less savoury side of town, but Robin always made sure his family was safe.

"Oh, I knew that guy. Wasn't a very nice fellow, believe me. They used to call him "Sharp-horns" but, when push came to shove, those horns of his weren't quite sharp enough." Robin laughed and shook his head, "Aah, memories..."

Mary sighed and shook her head with a little smile.

"Robin..."

Suddenly, Robin pulled his family into an alleyway and glanced around the corner before heaving a sigh of relief and stepping back out into the daylight.

"What happened, Dad?" Nick asked timidly, a little shaken as he grabbed his father's tail. The ring he always wore on his tail was a source of comfort for him. It told him that daddy was there to protect him.

"Nothing, Nick. Come on, let's go."

They got home in a rather hurried fashion, taking the various alleys and the occasional rooftop to get back home. When they got home Robin locked the door and heaved another sigh of relief. Mary felt otherwise.

"Nick, go to your room. Your father and I have something very important to discuss." Mary knelt down and smiled at Nick warmly.

Nick stood there adamantly, but after a bit of coaxing, he obliged and headed upstairs.

When they heard the door close, Mary frowned at Robin and crossed her arms.

"Robin! Who in the world did you steal from this time?" She whispered angrily.

"It was nothing, I swear! I just took a few diamonds..."

"Diamonds?! Robin, I know you miss the old days, but you have a son now! You can't go around stealing things from others anymore!"

"What, and watch as that little rat builds his criminal empire while the rest of us suffer? Mary, I understand your concern, but someone has to do something!"

"Well, stealing from them isn't going to change anything! You promised me that you wouldn't go around dispensing your vigilante justice anymore!"

"This time it's different! Honey, listen, I can fix this. Just give me some-"

He froze when he looked up the stairs and saw little nick sitting on the top step. Mary turned to look and saw him too.

"D-Dad's a... thief?"

"Nick..."

He could see the tears building beneath his beloved son's eyes. Before they fell, Nick ran to his room and slammed the door. Robin's shoulders dropped in defeat as he stood there, staring at the door.

Seeing her husband like that dissipated Mary's anger almost instantly. She walked over and placed a comforting paw onto his shoulder, giving him a tight hug before heading upstairs to comfort Nick.

Robin collapsed onto the couch, staring at nothing in particular. He'd spent the last few years since Nick's birth going on the occasional theft spree, but only from criminal moguls and corrupt businessmen. It was liberating, in a way, to fight for the poor. Every heist he made, he made sure to have enough to give his family a comfortable life before donating the rest of it away under an alias: "Hood". He;'d even set aside a goodly sum of it for Nick when he grew up and was ready to inherit the small fortune to kickstart his own life.

Now all of it was for nothing. Nick...

There was a loud rap on the door as he sat on the couch. He saw Mary step out of Nick's room, but he motioned her to stay hidden.

Tidying himself up, he went to answer the door with his businessman's smile plastered on his face.

"How can i help you fine gentlemen today? Care to come in for some biscuits? Fresh from the oven!"

The three cops that stood before him didn't buy it.

"Mr. Wilde, you're under arrest for breaking and entering as well as for the theft of personal property."

Robin acted bewildered.

"Huh? What makes you think I'd steal anything?"

The buffalo reached forwards and grabbed Robin's arm.

"Because you're a fox."

Robin looked at the burly hand and sighed.

"Officer, I think you're making a huge mistake."

"We also found some fox fur at the scene of the crime. DNA never lies, fox."

Robin's eyes widened for a moment, then he settled back to his smug smile as if nothing had happened.

"Well, I guess you caught me red-handed, but I'm sure you remember another important trait of foxes..."

In a quick twisting motion, he broke free of the buffalo's grip and leapfrogged over his horns.

"We're real slippery too!" He shouted as he ran off.

Mary watched the entire scene with over hand over her mouth. She wanted to call out to them, but she knew Robin would've wanted her to stay safe with Nick.

Quietly, she stepped through the door and into Nick's room. Much like any child, his room was plastered with toys and books. Nick, however, was curled up in his bed. Mary took a few tentative steps towards Nick and tried to comfort her son, but he violently shook her hand off his shoulder, sulking quietly.

Mary sighed and got up, heading downstairs to clean up the mess. As she swept up the dust, she got a text message from Robin.

"Mary, I'm sorry for everything. I shouldn't have done that. You were right. They're right on my tail. I'll destroy this phone soon. I'm so sorry. Tell Nick I love him."

That was it.

Mary clutched her phone in her hands and held back her tears.

"Robin..."

Then, another message arrived, this time with a bank account number and a password.

"Use this. It won't last long, but it'll help. I won't need it where I'm going..."

There were no more messages after that. Silence fell upon the house, punctuated by Mary's heavy, sobbing breaths.

He was gone.


	4. Chapter 4

"I never saw him again after that. Well, I kind of did. He was on the news." Nick frowned and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before sighing.

Judy was listening intently to Nick, at the same time taking down notes. Nick noticed her scribbling down key details about Robin.

"Hey, I'm over here baring my soul to you and you're taking down notes? That's cold, Carrots." He acted wounded, but there was that smile on his face that told Judy it was alright.

"Well, he is a key suspect. And you're directly related to him so..."

Nick chuckled and flopped back onto the bed. Judy lay beside him and they stared at the ceiling for a bit, admiring the wood patterns.

"That probably felt pretty good, didn't it?"

Nick turned his head a little and looked at Judy.

"What felt pretty good?"

"Telling me about your dad."

Nick thought for a moment before shrugging.

"... No, not really."

Judy turned to face him.

"Well, either way, I'm here for you, okay? Now come one, let's get some shuteye. Tomorrow's gonna be a busy day!" She bounded to her pillow and drew the covers over herself, falling asleep within seconds.

Nick sat there and watched her for a bit. It'd been a few months since he became her partner and he was still getting used to how genuine she was. He had to admit, after all those years living as a lowly crook, it felt good to have someone he could depend on. A partner. A friend.

Nick yawned and glanced outside the window. His gaze was greeted by a pair of sharp emerald eyes.

They stared at each other for a moment, mimicking each other's head bobs and tilts. Those eyes were familiar...

Before he could react, the eyes ran off. He immediately leapt out of bed and sprinted out of the house, his eyes burning with determination. Judy was unperturbed by the commotion and merely turned to her other side, still soundly asleep.

As he chased the figure, he wondered if it was a wise idea. If this was a trap, he'd probably regret his next decision.

With one final burst of energy, Nick leapt forwards and tackled the mysterious stranger. The two of them tumbled a short distance before coming to a halt in a clearing lit only by the stars.

Nick groaned and sat up, taking a good look at his quarry. It was a grizzled fox, probably pushing 60, who was dressed in pure black. Lean and muscled, Nick was surprised he'd been able to keep up with him, given his toned physique.

The other fox sat up as well, rubbing his head.

"Well, I'm getting old, aren't I, kiddo?"

Nick's jaw dropped when he heard that voice. The ring wrapped around his tail was the final piece of confirmation for him.

"Dad?!"

"Hey there, Nick. Long time no see. So, law enforcement huh? Can't say I've seen a fox try that out. Can't be going too well for you, hmm?"

Nick got up and kept his distance from his father. He looked so different. That once lustrous, well-groomed coat was grizzled and dishevelled. He had a terrible scar on his cheek that went all the way down his neck. Matching the scar, his left eye was perpetually half-closed as if it'd been paralysed.

Mirroring Nick, Robin got up and dusted himself off.

"So, why?" Nicks asked after a brief silence

Robin glanced at Nick who was standing there, glaring at him.

"Why what?"

"Why'd you run away?"

"Run away? I was protecting you and your mother!"

"Yeah, by being a thief! I looked up to you!"

"Well, how do you think I'm feeling right now? My only son, a police officer? Ha, a fox in the ZPD? Us foxes were never meant to be goody-two-shoes and you know it."

"Well, maybe us foxes were never meant to be the bad guys either! Ever thought about that? Have you even tried to be anything else to the other species? I still remember what you did to the wildebeest, dad. Turns out, he was a very nice fellow."

"Yeah, who'd be mean to a cop? Listen, Nick, I'm wasting precious time arguing with you right so if you'd be so kind and let me be on my way..."

Nick stood there, fuming mad. His eyes, however, betrayed a deep sadness that made Robin flinch slightly.

"You've changed, dad..."

"Yeah, twenty years being cooped up in a jail cell tends to do that to you. Still, it's better than spending my days being ordered around by the big guys..."

Nick watched as Robin ran off, too mentally drained to try to follow him.

"Nick?"

He turned and saw Judy standing there.

"What? Are you gonna ask why I let him go?"

"I wasn't..."

"Whatever, come on, let's get back."

Nick walked back towards the house, staring at the ground the whole way back, the now-cloudy skies dimming the fields.


	5. Chapter 5

Morning couldn't come soon enough and, much to Judy's relief, Nick seemed much better after an admittedly sleep-deprived night. He cracked a few dry jokes about their organic breakfast before riding shotgun in the police cruiser, nibbling on a strawberry.

"So, any leads today, Carrots?"

"You mean the one you let go last night?"

She flinched and held her tongue when she said that, but Nick already heard. He tried to smile and come up with a retort, but nothing came out and the smile was half-baked.

"I'm sorry, Nick." Judy muttered.

"Nah, its fine. I should've restrained him or something."

The ride was mostly silent after that, but a timely quip by Nick lightened the mood considerably as they passed by a rather interestingly shaped tree.

"Anyway, there's the first shop."

It was a florist. The shopfront was quaint and exotic, befitting the wide assortment of colourful plants, most of which weren't from Burrowtown.

"Good morning ma'am! Officer Judy Hopps here, we'd like to inquire about the theft that happened two days ago."

The florist looked up and saw the pair and smiled.

"Oh, I don't think there's a need for that anymore. You see, last night, all the money was returned to our safe. Not a single dollar short! Terribly sorry for making you come all the way out here sweetie."

Back in the cruiser, feeling perplexed, the duo decided to visit several more homes that had been victims to Robin. All of them had their money returned last night.

"This doesn't make any sense..." Judy scratched her head with the back of her carrot pen.

"... No, I think it makes perfect sense." Nick chuckled, "If he'd just escaped, I'm sure he'd like to give the old fingers a good warm-up."

Judy tilted her head, perplexed, "He's practicing?"

Nick shrugged.

"Hey, it's just a hunch. He's clearly not doing it for the money, is he? Why would someone go through all that trouble just to put the money back?"

Judy nodded.

"Still, we have to arrest him. He's still a convict, after all. Orders are orders."

Nick frowned at the term, but didn't say much.

Just then, there was a loud crash as a black hooded fox with a ring around his tail leapt out of a window and landed smoothly onto the road. He caught one glimpse of the police cruiser and took off.

"Hey! Stop right there!"

Judy was surprised to hear Nick's assertive shout as he flipped the sirens on. They sped off after him in hot pursuit. However, no matter how fast they went, they could never seem to catch up.

"How in the world is he outrunning us?" Judy shouted over the sirens as they took another sharp corner.

"I don't know!" Nick clung on for his dear life, keeping his eyes trained on his father.

Then, he saluted them cheekily before hopping over a wall, leaving the cruiser stranded.

Nick jumped out of the cruiser and leapt over the wall with Judy close behind. The alleyways of Burrowtown were hardly conducive for travel, with various items always strewn across the narrow streets.

Robin was hopping from wall to wall, clinging and flipping from ledge to ledge, swiftly making his way past the obstacles. Nick and Judy didn't fare so well.

As they rounded the corner that exited the alleyways, Judy prepared her pepper spray. She knew this was a dead end, totally enclosed on three sides by tall apartments with no easy ledges to climb.

"Sir, you're under..." Judy lowered the spray. Nobody was there.

"He's pretty fast for an old geezer, huh." Nick noted, doubled over panting.

Judy frowned and scanned the walls. No claw marks or paw prints, nothing that would provide a plausible explanation for his sudden disappearance.

Just then, someone tapped their shoulders.

They spun to see Robin, masked and hooded, his green eyes glinting in the morning sun.

"You see, cops," He glared at Nick who returned the look, "We foxes are slippery. Sometimes, we have ways to get out even when it seems impossible. Observe."

Before they could react, Robin had grabbed hold of a loose clothesline and leapt backwards before jumping, sending him sailing to the roof behind them, away from the dead end. He made a little bow and waved goodbye before walking off, sack in hand, but not before disparaging the already furious Nick.

"I expected better of you, kid. Lay off the doughnuts, alright?"

With that, he was gone. Nick looked defeated and tired after the chase, but Judy's gentle touch made him smile a little as she lead him back to look for evidence.

Several minutes later...

"Hey, look what I found!"

Judy held up a beautifully carved platinum ring with the initials "RPW" carved in splendid cursive. It was lost amidst some gardening tools, sitting in a trowel.

Back on the cruiser, they dropped the ring into a Ziploc bag and stashed it away for delivery back to Zootopia.

They sat in silence for a moment, letting the cool air wash over them.

"Nick, don't listen to what he says. You're a great cop, and there's nothing wrong with it. You were top of the class!"

"Yeah, I know. It's just that I haven't seen him since I was a kid. He's changed so much." Nick replied weakly, slumped in the seat again.

Judy placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and smiled warmly. Nick noticed and smiled back.

"You remind me of my mom a little, Carrots. She did the same thing when... Wait."

He brought up the police database on the cruiser's dashboard. A quick search later and her name popped up. Nick scrambled into the driver's seat much to Judy's annoyance.

"I'll drive this time."

"What? You haven't driven this thing before!"

'Well, better late than never, huh?"

A couple of awkward seconds later and they were in each other's' seats.

"Okay, Nick, just make sure you don't-"

There was a loud thump and the cruiser took off in a massive cloud of smoke.

"-FLOOR IT!" Judy screamed as the car sped off towards Zootopia, barely staying on the road.


	6. Chapter 6

Mrs. Wilde's house was small and unassuming, humbly perched on the 3rd floor of an apartment block. The doormat was welcoming, but dusty and unused. Judy knocked on the door and waited.

"You know what, Carrots, maybe we should come by another day." Just as Nick turned to leave, he heard the door crack open.

Judy smiled and extended a hand to the elderly fox.

"Mrs. Wilde?"

"Oh, you're Judy Hopps, aren't you?" She shook Judy's hand and smiled warmly, catching sight of Nick in the back, ready to walk away, "Is that… Nick?"

Nick froze and turned to look at his mother. She looked old and tired, but there was that same motherly tenderness in her gaze, full of unconditional love for her son. It hurt to look into those eyes again.

Slowly, he walked over and forced a smile.

"Hi, mom. Long time no see, huh?"

She nodded.

"Well, come on in! I wasn't expecting any guests, so I don't have much on hand. Sorry dear."

"It's alright, ma'am."

She closed the door again and the lock was fully opened. The door slowly swung open to reveal a Fox with an uncanny resemblance to Nick, seated in a wheelchair.

"Come on in! It's cold outside!"

Judy followed her in and dragged Nick along. Her home was pleasantly furnished, laid out in a way that made it simple to maneuver with a wheelchair. As she prepared some tea in the kitchen, Judy and Nick took a seat on the soft, fluffy couch.

She returned with a tray balanced on her lap which she placed onto the coffee table before taking her place opposite them, pouring herself a cup. Judy helped herself as well, but Nick just sat there, not making eye contact with either of them.

"Well, officer Hopps, what brings you to this old vixen's home?" She smiled and sipped her tea daintily.

"Well, I was hoping you'd be able to help us with this case concerning your husband." Judy watched for Mrs. Wilde's reaction, but she didn't seem fazed. Rather, she seemed tired.

"Oh, what did he get himself into again?" She asked with a sigh, glancing at Nick who turned away.

"Well, he broke out of jail a few days ago," Mrs. Wilde's ears perked up, "And we were wondering if you could give us any information about his whereabouts!"

"Robin's free?"

"Well, he sort of conducted a jailbreak…"

"But he's running free right now, is that right?" She asked, leaning back and adjusting her blanket on her lap.

Judy nodded, slightly confused at the happy smile on her face, though it was directed at Nick.

"Nick! Did you hear that? You father's-"

"Free. Yeah, I heard. I'm a cop too, mom." Nick crossed his arms, looking at the ground.

"Oh, you're a cop now? That's… Unexpected." Mrs. Wilde coughed and smiled a little at Nick, who didn't look up.

"Uh, ma'am, if I may redirect you to the subject at hand…" Judy smiled and took out her laptop, opening up a map of Burrowtown that showed all of Robin's targets. Mrs. Wilde took out her reading glasses and looked closely at the map. Like her son, her eyes were razor-sharp and focused.

After a bit, she removed the glasses and leaned back into her wheelchair.

"Sorry, dear, but I can't make out anything Robin might be planning from that map…"

"Oh… Well, what about this?"

Judy pulled out the ring and handed it to her. She examined it closely and chuckled.

"Oh, this ring. It was our wedding ring… May I take it out?"

"Well, I'd rather we keep it intact as much as possible…"

Mrs. Wilde nodded and handed it back to Judy before turning to look at Nick.

"Nick… Are you still upset, sweetie?"

Nick didn't reply.

"Sweetie, your father…"

"He's not my father. Not anymore…" Nick sighed and leaned back into the couch.

"Nick, don't say that… he just wanted to protect us."

"Yeah, by running away. How did that help? He left you alone to take care of me!"

Mrs. Wilde took a while to respond.

"He left me alone because if he didn't we'd all be implicated. Nick, please listen to me…"

"No. I'm sorry, mom, but this isn't getting anywhere. Come on, Hopps, let's go."

Nick got up and walked off before either of them could stop him.

Mrs. Wilde sighed and sipped her tea before looking at Judy who'd been listening rather attentively throughout the entire conversation.

"I'm so sorry, officer Hopps. He wasn't always like this."

"Oh, don't worry ma'am, Nick told me everything."

Mrs. Wilde nodded and beckoned Judy close, taking her hand.

"Officer Hopps. Judy. Please take care of my little Nick. He's had it rough growing up," She glanced out of the open door, making sure Nick wasn't there listening, "Judy, did he talk to his father yet?"

Judy nodded. Mrs. Wilde sighed.

"I don't suppose it was a pleasant talk?"

Judy shook her head.

"I'm not too surprised… Twenty years locked up in jail will do things to a fox." She let go of Judy's hand and turned to look out the window. The cloudy skies threatened rain in a few hours, lit orange by the setting sun.

"I think you should go and find Nick." Mrs. Wilde said with a gentle smile, "I'm sorry I couldn't help with your investigation."

"It's alright, ma'am." Judy smiled and left, closing the door behind her gently, but not without leaving her number with Mrs. Wilde. In return, Mrs. Wilde told her something about the ring.

"It was made by one of the best smiths in town, Ratson's Forge. You may want to look there; he was a close friend of Robin. Good luck, officer Hopps."

Judy thanked her for the lead and walked off, casting one last look back at Mrs. Wilde. The old fow smiled and waved her goodbye before gently closing the door.

When she stepped outside, Judy was surprised to find the cruiser still there with Nick curled up in the passenger seat, fast asleep. He jerked awake when Judy started the engine.

"Your mom's a nice lady, Nick." Judy noted as the cruiser rumbled back to Burrowtown, the dirt roads crackling beneath its wheels. There was a peal of distant thunder accompanied by a flash of lightning.

"Yeah, she is." Nick leaned out of the cruiser, feeling the wind on his face.

"So… Why were you so mean to her?"

"How else could I act? I ran away from home to become a conman when I was twelve, Carrots. Do you want me to look her in the eyes and say 'Hey mom, I'm back!'?"

"But you're a cop now, Nick."

"Yeah, but did you see her face when I told her that? Let me tell you, she wasn't happy with it."

"She said it was unexpected. Nick, you're overreacting. Cheer up a little!"

Nick didn't say anything, instead choosing to close his eyes and fall asleep in the passenger seat. Judy sighed as she looked back at the road. Her phone rang shortly after and she answered the call. It was her parents. They said they wanted to see them as soon as possible.


	7. Chapter 7

They stood before the door of Bonnie and Stu's home.

Judy held Nick's hand tightly. Though he tried to hide it, Nick was absolutely terrified.

"I shouldn't have called you Carrots Judy." Nick whimpered, "You saw how they looked at me after that. You saw them!"

"Nick, calm down-"

"They were whispering when we left! They. Were. Whispering!" Nick's eyes darted from Judy to the door repeatedly. She saw real fear in his eyes, but she didn't say anything.

"Relax, Nick…" She squeezed his hand and gave him a reassuring smile. He didn't relax.

Slowly, the door creaked open.

Nick froze up outside the door. Judy had to drag him in through the door by force.

When Nick stood up, he felt a blindfold get placed over his head and promptly freaked out, apologising and pleading loudly for mercy.

"Nick! You can remove the blindfold now! Nick!"

The poor fox was curled up on the floor, scared out of his wits, rocking back and forth.

With a sigh, Judy removed his blindfold. His eyes were shut.

"Nick, you can open your eyes now. We won't hurt you…"

Gingerly, he opened one eye and had a cake shoved into his face.

"Happy birthday, Nick!"

Nick shot up and scrambled to his feet, glancing about frantically.

The room was covered in birthday decorations, simple yet charming, many hand-made. By his feet was a rather large carrot cake, probably to feed the sea of bunnies that populated the room.

"What?"

"Well, we saw you were all quiet and such when we asked about your family," Bonnie said as she walked over to Nick and held his hand, patting it, "If there's one thing we bunnies can do, its read emotions. You haven't seen them in a long time, have you?"

Nick gulped. He wasn't used to being read like a book.

"Well, technically, we just went to see them." Judy piped up as she began handing out the cake to her siblings, "Or, at least, we saw Mrs. Wilde. I'm sure you'd like her, mom!"

Nick was floored by everything happening at once. Catatonic, he sat on the couch with Judy.

"So their whispering was…"

"Yup! Sorry I didn't tell you about it; I overheard them planning this, but I felt it'd be better if it remained a surprise." She had another mouthful of the rich cake and offered some to Nick. That was when she noticed he was crying quietly.

"Aww, Nick…" She pulled him close and hugged him tightly, patting his back, "Come on, open up."

She scooped a piece of cake and moved it to Nick's mouth, pressing them against his pursed lips.

"Do I have to do the airplane thing?" Judy sighed and chuckled. Nick opened his mouth and ate the cake, sniggering.

"Real witty, Carrots."

His heart froze when he noticed Stu and Bonnie were listening, but they laughed it off, calling it an adorable nickname. In fact, they were surprised a fox would think of one of the more common nicknames amongst bunnies.

Hearing that, Nick started laughing.

"Judes?" Nick spoke as they headed back. The clouds had cleared during the party and the stars shimmered above them.

"Yeah?"

"Don't tell anyone I cried."

Judy chuckled and punched his shoulder playfully.

"What's the matter? Scared everyone'll make fun of you, you big baby?"

"I mean it! Unlike you, I have a reputation to uphold." He puffed out his chest and smirked. Judy rolled her eyes and shook her head, chuckling. Nick leaned back into the comfy seat and burped, patting his stomach.

"Anyway, your mom gave us our next lead. Ratson's Forge. We'll check it out tomorrow."

"Ratson, huh? He's a real shifty guy. He isn't a big fan of cops, let me tell you that. I hope you've got a plan."

"Of course I do!" Judy lied as she pulled up by the driveway.

"No you don't." Nick grinned, hopping out of the cruiser. "As usual, I'll have to do all the thinking around here."

"Well, what's the plan?"

"Mr. Big."


	8. Chapter 8

Mr. Big was more than pleased to see his grand-daughter's godmother, offering her welcoming kisses on the cheek as Judy waved to Fru Fru, heading over to see the new baby.

As the two ladies minded their own business, Nick smiled and leaned on Mr. Big's table.

"Listen, Sir, I have a favour to ask of you."

Mr. Big took out his cigar and glanced up at Nick. He extended his hand and Nick kissed the ring gingerly.

"Go on."

"There's a case going on right now; about Robin Wilde. My dad."

Mr. Big sighed and let out a large cloud of cigar smoke. Well, relatively large.

"Oh, that troublemaker. Listen, I don't know what you want me to do, but I don't work with thieves, got it?"

"Oh, of course sir… We're here because of someone you might know; Ratson."

Nick showed the vole a picture of the ring as well as Ratson himself, one of the few photos available of the reclusive smith.

"Ah, Ratson. He's a close friend. I'd tell you more, but there's a price for my tongue."

"Sure, what's the price?"

"Your father."

Nick froze for a moment. Would he be willing to give up his father to a crime lord where he'd probably be killed? Sure, he resented his dad, but to did he hate him enough to send him to his death? Mr. big noticed Nick's conflict and jabbed his cigar at the fox.

"Don't try anything funny with me, Wilde. Your father owes me a small fortune. He was lucky the cops got to him first." Mr. Big growled.

Shuffling his feet, Nick glanced at the picture of Mr. Big's grandmother. Buried in a rug made of skunk butt fur… As hilarious as the thought was, he still felt a pang of guilt.

Nick stood there for a moment before looking Mr. Big in the eyes.

"… You've got yourself a deal." He extended a finger which Mr. Big shook.

"Excellent. I won't give you a time limit on account of her," He gestured towards Judy who was absolutely captivated by the tiny vole baby, "But I expect to see him in front of me, in person. Understood, Wilde?"

Nick nodded and kissed Mr. Big's ring again.

"Very good. Here's what you'll need to get in."

He beckoned one of his henchmen over and whispered something into his ear. He left the room for a moment and returned with two rings emblazoned with "M.B".

"He only accepts visits from people who know someone who knows him." The polar bear handed the rings to Nick. He slipped one of them onto his ring finger. It was a perfect fit. The simple yet effective mechanism hidden within the ring slid open smoothly, ensuring the ring would fit any recipient.

"The two of you had better not expose your identities. He'll have your head if he finds out." Mr. Big waved his henchman away before nodding to Nick.

"Yeah, I've talked to him before. Thanks, sir." Nick bowed quickly and called to Judy to leave. She seemed a little dismayed; the only things that could distract her from work were kids and she seemed genuinely sad that she had to go so soon.

"Put this on, Carrots." He handed her the other ring which she promptly slipped onto her own ring finger. Again, it was a perfect fit as the mechanism expanded to encompass her finger size.

"Well, you seem a little invested in this case." Judy admired the ring as he climbed into the cruiser's passenger seat. Nick was already firing up the engine.

"It's my dad. I'd be kidding myself if I said I wasn't going to try..." The car rolled off onto the main street towards Ratson's .


	9. Chapter 9

Ratson's Forge stood on the outskirts of Little Rodentia, residing in an abandoned Central Square building next to the wall. From the jury-rigged chimneys rose wide plumes of white smoke rising into the sky. The sound of steel on steel rang out from the inside of the relatively unmarked building.

Before they showed up, Nick slipped into his usual collared shirt and tie while Judy went for a comfy flannel and undershirt. Making sure to keep their badges well hidden, the duo stepped up to the door and knocked.

"Mr. Ratson?"

The hammering stopped. Nick and Judy shared a concerned glance as the door slowly opened amidst the whirring of cogs and levers.

"Old-school kind of guy, ain't he?" Judy quipped as they walked in.

"Yeah. He's a little…" Nick grabbed Judy's collar and stopped her just shy of the skylight. There was a loud clang as a hammer fell and smashed the ground where Judy would've been.

"… Careless."

Judy gulped and picked up the heavy hammer with some difficulty. The hammer's head was easily the size of her noggin and the wooden handle as thick as her arm.

"Umm… M-Mr. Ratson? You dropped this!" She shouted to no one in particular.

Suddenly, there was the sound of heavy pawpads and claws walking above them, clearly headed down towards them. It grew louder and louder as they stood there and they had to fight every instinct to run as far away as they could.

After a bit, the footsteps stopped.

"Turn around and let me see those rings."

Slowly, they turned around and were greeted by a massive wolf, fur blackened with soot and patchy from the numerous burns that marred his whole muscular body. He was dressed sensibly, but some of those burns looked far less accidental than they probably were.

They held up their hands and showed off Mr. Big's rings.

The wolf took another step closer and nodded.

"Looks good. Name's Ratson. How can I help you?" He stuck out his massive paw after taking off the gloves, grinning and revealing his yellowed fangs. The two of them were a little taken aback given his name, but they recovered quickly and reciprocated the handshake.

"I'm Officer Judy, and this is my partner, Officer Nick…"

"Nick? Son of a bun, its little Nicky! Haven't seen you in, what, ten years?"

Nick chuckled and smirked, shaking Ratson's hand firmly.

"Twelve."

"Right, right." He stood back up and stretched his back, crossing his arms as he towered over them.

Judy was the first to break the silence, getting straight to the point.

"Sir, we're here to ask about Robin."

Ratson raised an eyebrow.

"Robin? Isn't he in jail right now?"

"He broke out." Nick added, his expression going somber. Ratson looked surprised, perhaps even a little pleased.

"Broke out? Ha! Took him long enough to escape. Wilde's always been a slippery one, hasn't he?"

Nick huffed and frowned, making a vaguely dismissive gesture. Judy cleared her throat and took out her notebook.

"So, Mr. Ratson, do you have any ideas on what he might be up to? He broke into and stole from several homes but he returned everything after a day or two." Judy's ears perked up when she saw him in deep thought, and then they flopped down when he shrugged.

"Ah, you bunnies have the cutest ears." Ratson chuckled heartily and told them to follow him, asking them a few questions about Mr. Big as they strolled along the hallway.

"Oh, Fru Fru had a baby? You're the… godmother? Well, I just hope ZPD doesn't pry too much into it."

After a bit of walking through the impressively large compound, Ratson let them into a cheaply furnished "meeting room". He took his place at the other end of the table and gestured to them to take a seat.

"Well, I don't suppose you've found him, have you?" Ratson leaned over the table and poured a cup of coffee, taking a long sip.

"I thought so. He's hard to nail down. I'll save you a bit of time; he's planning something."

"Planning something?"

"A heist. A pretty big one, too. However, I don't think anyone in the ZPD'll be able to stop him."

Judy and Nick exchanged glances.

"Why?"

Ratson reclined in his chair and jerked his head. Judy and Nick spun around.

Robin was standing there with a gas mask, holding a metal canister.

"Because you won't be telling them."

They turned back and saw that Ratson was already putting on a gas mask. Before the two of them could react, he flicked open the canister. A massive plume of white smoke erupted from the metal casing, filling the room in the blink of an eye. The pungent odour as well as the loud hissing hindered their senses as the sleeping gas took effect.

When the smoke cleared, the two of them lay unconscious on the ground. Ratson hefted them onto his shoulders and walked out with Robin.

"That was a little excessive." Ratson remarked as he placed them gently in the passenger seat of his truck.

"Unfortunately, the ends justify the means." He frisked their pockets and confiscated their communication devices, sorting them into individual bags for easy return, "We can't afford to take any risks."

Ratson climbed into the driver's seat, but not before asking whether Nick would forgive him for knocking him out.

"My pedestal's already been broken a long time ago; a few more cracks won't change anything. Come on, we have to get going."

Ratson looked at the two sleeping officers, then at Robin who couldn't take his eyes off Nick, even from the back of the truck. Poor guy was never good with expressing his feelings, Ratson noted as he drove off into the cloudy streets.


	10. Chapter 10

Nick cracked open an eye and groaned. His head was pounding and his throat was parched, problems made worse thanks to the cool, dry air. As he sat up groggily, he smelt someone brewing tea.

"You've been out cold for a few hours. Take it easy." He heard a voice somewhere to his left, likely the same person who handed him a cup of strong tea. Muttering a word of thanks, Nick sipped the tea slowly as his head cleared.

He tried to recollect what had happened earlier. They'd just met Ratson and he brought them to a room where his father-

Wait.

Nick was suddenly acutely aware that he wasn't in the forge. He was lying in bed in a shipping container repurposed to look like a bedroom, though the mix-and-match nature of the furniture looked like the room was laid out by someone who had absolutely no concept of aesthetics.

Ratson was sitting next to the mahogany bed in a plastic chair much too small for his size, slowly pouring a piping hot cup of tea into a porcelain cup on the bedside table. He turned and saw Judy asleep next to him.

"Carrots! Judy! Wake up!" He shook her vigorously but she didn't stir, instead choosing to turn onto her other side and pull the thick covers over herself.

Nick turned and frowned at Ratson who shrugged.

"Sleeping gas? Really?"

"Well, we couldn't take any risks. It was for the best, believe me."

"That's it, I'm calling for ZPD backup." He looked through every single pocket and realised he'd been frisked clean of any communication devices.

"Looking for this?" Ratson reached behind him and picked up a black bag with the word "Nick" scribbled onto it in bright red ink. Nick made a grab for it, but Ratson lifted it out of his reach. A demented dance soon followed as Nick tried to grab the bag and Ratson expertly kept it out of Nik's reach. Finally, in a last ditch effort to get his phone back to call for backup, he lunged at Ratson.

The wolf shifted his seat a little and Nick went sailing past the wolf, crashing onto the floor and sliding a good distance before he was stopped by a foot at the doorway.

He looked up and saw his father dressed in a hot pink parka with beige cargo pants.

"You might want to lay off on the doughnuts a little, sport." Robin quipped as he offered a hand to Nick, "You're getting sloppy."

Ignoring his father's gesture, he propped himself up on his elbows and got up, swaying a little as he crossed his arms.

"I was top of my class."

"Well, when all you have to eat are doughnuts, I wouldn't be terribly surprised."

Nick frowned.

"Since when did you turn into a jerk?"

"Since prison. Follow me; I'm sure you have many questions that need to be answered.

Nick turned to look at Judy who was still fast asleep. Ratson was gently simmering the tea, waiting for her to wake up as well.

"I'm watching you…" Nick gestured, jerking two fingers at the wolf. Ratson just chuckled and shrugged.

Following Robin, Nick exited the shipping container and entered a makeshift courtyard. Surrounded by several containers in a circle, the courtyard was made of concrete and weeds with a large firepit in the middle, blackened with use. Robin was already seated on a deck chair with an umbrella. Seeing Nick, he gave a crude lever by his feet a kick and struck a match, tossing it into the firepit. A massive plume of flame erupted from the hole which settled into a healthy-sized bonfire that provided some welcome warmth to the frigid Tundratown weather.

Electrical wires hung from container to container, no doubt powering the hideout from the old power station on the compound. In spite of the ragged look, the hideout was impressively well-furnished. Nick was very impressed.

"Nice place you've got here. How'd you get that firepit going?" He pointed to the roaring flames. Robin chuckled.

"Natural gas, courtesy of the city."

"You mean you dug a hole and hit a gas line?"

Robin frowned.

"My version sounds better."

"Yeah, a thief probably likes it when they take stuff that doesn't belong to them."

"Well, if that's what you want to believe, I won't stop you."

The two sat quietly again with the whoosh of the fire providing some background noise to the biting silence.

As the afternoon sun climbed higher and higher in the sky, Nick decided it was time for him to leave and get back to ZPD and report his findings. Robin didn't stop him, but he had a nice warm mug of coffee for his son when he came back after several hours of aimless wandering. By then, Judy had woken up and was seated around the firepit with Ratson lazing on the snow nearby, looking exhausted.

"Welcome back. We're having a grand old time right now." Robin smirked as he offered the mug to Nick. At first, Nick ignored the steaming hot beverage. A few moments later, he grudgingly accepted it and sipped from the mug slowly.

"Now, I'm sure you want to get back and tell them all about us and our little hideout," Robin got up and walked around the fire, "But as we've just witnessed, that's not going to happen. Instead, I'll offer you a deal."

He pointed at Nick as he finished his lap around the flames. Before Judy could speak, he shushed her.

"Not you, bunny. I need you as…" He thought deeply for a moment, "Collateral."

Judy didn't like the sound of that.

"What do you mean by that?" She shouted indignantly, leaping to her feet, almost falling into the firepit as she tripped over her own feet. Nick's heart almost jumped out of his chest when that happened.

"That's why." Robin looked at Nick who was on his feet, ready to spring forwards to catch her.

"Terribly sorry, miss bunny, but you'll have to sit this one out." Ratson stated matter-of-factly as he helped her up, dusting the snow off her fur.

"You alright, Judes?" Nick asked, his heart still thumping away. Judy nodded and gave him a thumbs-up as she sat back down.

"As I was saying, I have a deal for you. Care to listen?"

Nick sat back down and glowered at Robin, nodding.

"Excellent! This'll be a nice father-son bonding activity, don't you think?"


	11. Chapter 11

Robin was peering over the edge from the top of an apartment in downtown Zootopia. The hustle and bustle of the evening streets was audible even from several stories up, a chatter intermingling with the winds.

Nick was seated behind his father in a lawn chair, one of the many items strewn across the rooftop patio, sipping on a mango and sugared maggot smoothie from one of the smoothie parlors along the way.

"So, why are we here?" Nick asked, taking an obnoxiously loud slurp from his almost empty, but still refreshingly sweet, cup.

"That's the fifth time you've asked in the past ten minutes." Robin's ear twitched as he continued scanning the streets below with his binoculars.

"Well, you wanted this to be a father-son experience. I'm just playing my part." Nick replied curtly as he set aside his cup and reclined in the chair, crossing his legs and letting out a big yawn.

Robin huffed and continued his reconnaissance mission.

Several uneventful minutes later, Robin's ears perked up.

"Well, there he is." He stated as he handed Nick, who'd got up and sauntered over some time in the past few seconds, the binoculars.

"Who're we- Oh."

Through the looking-glass, Nick spotted a badger dressed in a smart suit strutting along with a golden cane, practically cutting through the evening crowd.

"That's Will A. Badgerson, finance minister of Zootopia. Real nice guy, isn't he?"

Robin didn't have to tell Nick. He was familiar with the guy, even before he joined the force. He was living proof that money could buy you anything. Status, power, that badger had it all. His status as the finance minister was rather ironic as well, given how most of his dealings were made under the table, but with his immense wealth, the law couldn't touch him. Thus, he sat on his post, slowly leeching off the hard work of the populace to line his pockets.

Watching him push people aside with his cane made Nick's blood boil.

"So, what're you going to try and do?" Nick asked, his voice tinged with icy rage, "Steal all his money?"

Robin turned to look at his son, raising an eyebrow.

"You're awfully interested."

"What?" Nick bounced back, a little surprised at the observation, "I'm here to get evidence on you!"

"Well, I'm already a wanted fox, aren't I? What might you need that evidence for? You coud just tackle and handcuff me right now and be on your merry way," He glanced at the handcuffs he'd so graciously returned to his son, "But you didn't."

Nick fell silent for a moment, his ears drooping a little, before speaking up.

"… He tricked us."

"Tricked you?" Robin raised both eyebrows out of curiousity, "Tricked you how?"

"Well, you remember our house, right?"

Robin nodded. In his mind's eyes, the house was pristine and perfect, untouched by any outside forces. It was his personal haven, his retreat when the realities of prison got too harsh for him. If he closed his eyes, he could hear…

"Yeah." He pushed the thought aside. It hurt too much.

"Well, Badgerson… He made mom and I mortgage it off to pay for your thievery," Nick's voice grew quieter, mentally restraining himself, "She was desperate and I was too young to understand, so we signed it. He said we'd get it back. We never did."

"Hmm…" Robin got up and stretched

"That's all you have to say?" Nick raised his voice in disbelief and anger at his father's attitude.

"Nick, I'll be honest with you, there's no way we're getting any of it back."

Nick's eyes widened before narrowing into angry slits.

"What do you mean by that?" Nick snarled angrily.

"What I mean is that the money and property's probably gone by now," He raised his hands as Nick stepped closer, "But that doesn't mean we can't stop others from falling from the same trap."

Nik calmed down a little and stopped advancing on his father, who was now dangerously close to the ledge.

"How are you going to do that?" Nick asked, crossing his arms and letting out a loud sigh.

"Well, there's got to be records of his crimes somewhere…"

"They've already tried that. Many times."

"Not official records. I'm talking about his personal receipts. His trophies, if you will. Narcissism is a running theme with this sort of criminal."

"Oh, that's right, you're quite the expert on the subject, aren't you?" Nick frowned at Robin, who sighed in defeat.

"Listen, Nick, whether you want to believe it or not, I stole for a good cause. My conscience is clearer than the runoff in Tundratown."

"Right. Well, that's a mighty fine plan and all, but I think it's time for me to bring you back in." Nick unclasped the handcuffs around his belt and flipped them open, "And if you try ti testify, I've got it all recorded right here."

Nick held up a gray, bunny-shaped pen recorder. Robin chuckled.

"Well, I think the ZPD'll have quite a bit of fun with this too."

Robin held up his own recorder, sleek and . They both pressed play and the past few minutes of conversation rang through the air.

"Alright, we'll call it a tie. Spit it out, what do you need?"

"His address."

Nick waited for a moment.

"That's it?" Nick asked after a few seconds of silence, "Couldn't you just look it up?"

"Fugitive, remember?"

"Oh, right."

"Yeah. Well, the choice if yours."

He took one final glance at Nick before leaving.

Now alone on the roof, Nick pondered on his choices for a moment. Clearly, this would probably get him fired if it got out. What would Judy think of him? Still, he felt an intense desire to do his mother right; he tried once when he was younger and messed up, peddling some forged goods to pay for his meals so his mother wouldn't have to work so hard.

One thing led to another, and eventually he was so tied up in the conning ring at the tender age of twelve that he couldn't bear to look her in the eyes anymore. Who was to blame for their misfortune? He didn't know at the time and, even till today, his mind was still in a mess.

After a bit more thinking, he finally let out a quiet laugh.

"Heh… Sorry, mom. I'll have to let you down one last time. I'll make sure he doesn't hurt anyone ever again."

Satisfied, Nick opened the door to the stairwell and found Robin standing there, listening.

"So, by 'him', did you mean Badgerson or me?"

"A little bit of both…" Nick chuckled sadly, "Listen, if I help you out, you'll do anything I say, understood?"

Robin nodded and extended his hand. There was a pause before Nick shook it firmly and they walked off into the shadowy stairwell below.


	12. Chapter 12

They pulled up at Badgerson's mansion and marveled at its impressive façade. Made of marble and slate, the contrasting colours were strikingly impressive. The grand silver gates that stood guard were decorated with intricate filigrees made by artisanal mice in Little Rodentia. Beyond that, a neatly trimmed lawn with grand bushes and trees filed the gap between the gravel driveway and the front door, linked up by a tiled pathway that parted the sea of green.

"Well, here we are…" Nick said as he examined the fine details of the silver bars.

"Hmm…" Robin took note of the walls with their beautiful carvings, topped with dangerous spikes. That didn't look terribly safe, not to mention he probably had some sort of security system in place just behind the wall.

Sure enough, a pair of armed guards rounded the corner wielding taser rifles. From further back, they heard a howl. The two guards howled back once before resuming their prowling with single-minded determination.

"Huh. Guess they really stepped up the training." Nick noted as he peeked from around the wall.

Robin was too busy looking for alternative routes. After a bit of searching, his eyes fell upon a manhole cover.

"Hey, Nick, help me with this."

They lifted the heavy plate off and a warm, wet stench rose from the hole.

"You first!" Nick said with a big, forced smile.

"No, you should go first. I insist." Robin replied, smiling tersely as well.

They smiled at each other for a moment more before slowly looking down, already regretting what they had to do.

Several minutes later, they scrambled out of a toilet, gasping for air. An unfortunate guard who had to peruse the toilet, upon hearing the gasping, decided it would be best to hold it in, tucking his tail between his legs as he scurried off.

Reeking of sewage and fox, they decided it would be best to take a very quick bath to mask their scents.

As they stood awkwardly in the showers, Robin spoke up as he handed his son a bar of soap.

"We shall never speak of this moment again."

Nick kept silent and nodded, blushing as he scrubbed down his father's back.

After they were (relatively) clean and scented like the guards, they cautiously stepped out of the bathroom and headed down the hallways, peeking through peepholes to find any sort of potential hiding spots.

After some searching and a few close calls, they finally found Badgerson's home office. It took less than a second for Robin to break through the lock on the door and the door opened noiselessly.

His office was as glamorous and eye-catching as the exterior of his mansion, with a luxurious velvet carpet and various beautifully crafted chairs with silken cushions. Behind the computer and desk stood a grand bookcase filled to the brim with impeccably placed tomes on various subjects.

They began their search, starting from his desk and working their way out. They had to pause several times when they heard footsteps outside the door, but they eventually happened upon a hidden drawer within the bookcase, only accessible by pulling one specific book.

They looked at each other before Robin quietly picked the lock. Slowly, he pulled open the drawer and leafed through the files, handing one to Nick. Though he wasn't looking, he could tell that Nick was flabbergasted.

"I'm more surprised than anything that he kept it, really." Robin quipped quietly as he flipped through more and more of the badger's records. Nick was silent as he flipped through the pages of the mortgage receipt.

Suddenly, there was a loud banging on the door.

As the bars descended upon the windows, the two foxes sprinted along the corridors, hounded by guards. Triggering the fire alarms and sprinklers with precise ball bearing tosses, Robin managed to keep the guards at bay long enough for them to escape out into the courtyard.

A dozen lasers were immediately trained on their bodies. Badgerson was standing there in his pajamas with guards flanking his sides, tasers trained on the foxes.

"Robin Wilde. Never thought I'd see the day." Badgerson smiled a sickeningly artificial smile, one put on by politicians when they tried to convince their populace that war was good for the economy, "How have you been?"

"Oh you know, same old deal. Jail, incarceration, the works." Robin smiled wryly, raising his paws and dropping the documents. Nick followed close behind as Badgerson looked at him.

"And who do we have here?" He sauntered forwards and took a closer look at Nick, "Oh, Officer Wilde! What are you doing with a lowly thief like this?"

"I was tailing him, sir. Thank you for helping me corner him! Now, if you'll excuse me…" Nick stepped forwards professionally and handcuffed his father before dragging him off roughly towards the gates, "I have a convict to return." One of the guards held it open as they walked off into the streets.

When they'd left the mansion grounds, Badgerson turned to his guards and frowned.

"Follow them."


	13. Chapter 13

Nick and his father walked in silence for several blocks, making sure to take as many turns as possible to throw any potential pursuers.

"Hey, mind getting these cuffs off me?" Robin asked as he struggled a little.

"Sorry, I'm just following protocol." Nick replied as he pulled the chain between the cuffs.

Robin shrugged and, in a smooth motion that took Nick by surprise, Robin had managed to encircle him with his cuffed hands, somehow managing to get behind his son. Before Nick could react, Robin knocked him out with a quick choke.

Waking up back at the hideout with an ice pack tied around his neck, Nick slammed his hands on the bed and buried his face in his hands, berating himself for not being more careful.

He groggily stepped out into the courtyard where Robin was seated with the mortgage papers, his back facing Nick. The firepit was lit and there was an empty chair next to him.

"Have a seat, Nick."

Nick frowned and walked over, sitting heavily on the lawn chair.

"I don't appreciate being choked." Nick snarled as he adjusted his icy 'scarf'.

"So sorry about that, but I can't let you find out how to get here. I could teach you how to do that, if you want."

Robin waited for a moment. When it was clear that Nick was too furious to say anything, he folded up the mortgage receipt and tucked it into the pocket of his own bath robe.

"I'll be holding onto this, then. It'll make a good bargaining chip."

Nick reached over and took the papers from his father's pocket. Robin didn't stop his son.

"Listen, I'll let you keep that if you'll listen to what I have to say."

Nick looked up from the mortgage receipt and into the fire, lost in his own sad thoughts. Then, he nodded.

"Good. I'm sure you've heard of the Hood Charity, haven't you?"

Nick nodded again. It wasn't that massively well-known, but the charity had always been rather close to Nick's heart. It helped him through some rather tough times, but ultimately it was just a bandage on an ever-growing wound. In the past few years, the charity had indeed fallen on some rather harsh times, with its founder and primary donator going missing, but they managed to get by and help those in need.

"Well, I founded it."

Nick turned to look at his father with doubtful eyes.

"Don't believe me? Here," He took out several more receipts from his other pocket and unfolded them, offering them to Nick, "I found them a few minutes ago."

Nick read through the papers. Mostly, they were just receipts of transactions. Nothing that would really imply what Robin was saying was true.

Then, one particular piece stood out from the rest.

It was handwritten.

In fact, after a certain point, every old and torn receipt was written by hand on notebook paper detailing every family helped and how best to split the fund. Many familiar names from Nick's childhood surfaced in these papers and, eventually, he found his own name within the lines. By then, every paper carried the ZPD's logo and was folded as if it was stuffed into an envelope.

"It wasn't easy, but for the first few years, I managed to get the receipts out to my charity. It worked until they eventually sent me to a higher security cell." His voice grew more somber as he spoke, "I saw many familiar faces in there. Faces that I thought I'd helped. Faces that had so much joy and hope as children whenever I stopped by their homes. I watched them come in, go out, and come in again in a matter of months."

Robin sighed and slumped a little.

"At least I'm glad I never got to see you with me in those years in jail" He turned to Nick and smiled warmly, "I might not like the fact that you became a cop, but I'm just glad that you didn't end up in there with me."

"Prove it." Nick folded up the papers and held them on his lap, looking straight into the flames.

"Excuse me?" Robin asked, slightly taken aback.

"Prove that you didn't just make these while I was unconscious." Nick held up the receipts and waved them about. Robin frowned.

"After all that, you still don't trust me-"

Suddenly, through the shadowy forests, dozens of howls rang out as yellow eyes blinked into existence like fireflies in the night.

Nick looked at the sea of eyes, then at Robin.

"Is Judy still here?"

"No, she's at our other safehouse."

"Well, that's good."

They looked at the eyes which had gotten bigger. A low-pitched growl surrounded them as Badgerson shouted for his guards to get the foxes.


	14. Chapter 14

The chase seemed unending to Nick and Robin. Outnumbered and outgunned, they had to use their wits and savvy to evade capture for as long as possible, deliberately picking difficult paths to traverse through the labyrinth of trees that made up the Tundratown forests. With Robin leading the way, they ducked and weaved past the fallen coniferous trees and ridges, heading towards the highways that lead out of the zone.

Every step of the way, the wolves were hot on their tail. The sound of their heavy footsteps thundering through the snow sent their hearts racing as they burst into a clearing next to the highway.

Just as the wolves stormed out of the clearing, a large truck came by and they quickly hopped onto the back of the vehicle, clinging onto the bars on its side as they kept their heads low to avoid the driver's eyes. As the vehicle sped off into the distance, the two foxes heaved a sigh of relief as they entered a tunnel.

"That was close, huh?" Robin chuckled as he reclined against the sidebars of the truck. Nick, on the other hand, was rather concerned about the red and blue lights up ahead. Robin's eyes widened when he spotted the ZPD roadblock up ahead at the exit of the tunnel.

"How did…"

Before Robin would react, Nick quickly handcuffed his father and told him to keep quiet. Robin had no choice but to oblige.

At the head of the ZPD was Badgerson, standing cross-armed, still in his pajamas.

As the truck rolled to a stop, the polar bear driver stepped out, mildly irritated as he asked the yawning cheetah officer why they were blocking the path.

"Sorry sir, but-"

The cheetah's words were cut short when Nick walked out from the shadows, clutching the scruff of Robin's neck.

"Wilde?"

"Hey there! I wouldn't suppose you guys were looking for him?" He shoved Robin forwards, eliciting a frown and a sigh from the older fox. The polar bear was mildly surprised, insisting that he had no idea they were there.

"Don't worry, I've caught him," Nick grinned as he walked past Badgerson, who was staring angrily at the fox's smug grin, "Let's go!"

They hurried off into the police cruiser, rather flustered by the sudden change of events. Thankfully, none of the cops liked that smug badger either, so they put their bother down as being merely annoyed by him.

Back at the ZPD Headquarters, in the holding room, Nick sat next to his still-handcuffed father.

"A part of me wants to think this is for the best, but another part of me thinks that you set this all up." Robin muttered as he jangled the cuffs.

"Oh, so now you're doubting me? How poignant." Nick replied, looking rather tired.

"So, which was it?"

Before Nick could answer, an officer stepped into the room and took out a pair of handcuffs before repeating the whole spiel before you could arrest someone. Nick was a little puzzled, but when thehanduffs clasped around his wrists, he just accepted it.

"Well, does that answer your question?" Nick asked his father as they followed the cop out. Robin shrugged as they were sent to Chief Bogo.

"Wilde." The chief had a serious frown carved onto his face as he leaned onto the desk.

"'Sup, Chief." Nick tried to muster up a smile, but all that came out was a depressed sigh.

Robin stood beside his son silently as the chief read out Nick's rights before formally arresting him. When he was done, the Chief took off his glasses and ran his fingers along his snout's bridge.

"Before you ask, we got this tip-off from Badgerson."

Nick's ears drooped a little when he heard that name.

"But, luckily for you, none of us are fans of that pushy bureaucrat. Here's the deal. I don't believe you'd be the kind to turn back on everything you've fought for, Nick. I've seen you change. You're still as smug and annoying as you were before you joined the force, but your dedication is… impressive."

Nick brightened a little when he heard the chief compliment him.

"Still, the rules are still the rules. You'll be spending some time in jail, I'm afraid." Nick looked at his father, who was looking at the ground, "But that doesn't mean that you can't _happen_ to escape at a time when it _just so happens_ that the guards weren't watching."

Nick chuckled and nodded, then asked about what they'd do with Robin.

"He'll have to serve the rest of his sentence. No compromises on that; he's an escaped convict."

Robin shrugged as he looked at Nick.

"Wait, don't you have the papers?" Nick whispered as the chief turned away for a moment.

"I think we dropped them back in the forest. I've got nothing on me." Robin smiled sheepishly as he shrugged, "Force of habit to ditch stuff when I'm being chased, I guess."

"… Oh."


End file.
